Reader Rant: Ice cream’s strangest flavor: bovine growth hormone

This is why when I see all those pink ribbons on the ads that are geared towards “the cure’ for breast cancer, I go ballistic! We do not need another drug to fight a disease that kills and disfigures a person’s body and life. We need to clean up the crap in our air, water and food supply. Bottom line is greed is causing breast cancer; the greed of corporations who have no consciousness regarding clean food air and water.

The public really needs to do some thinking and research on their own… and stop listening to the 6 o’clock news.

This is one good example of why people get diseases at a higher rate than ever. Auto immune diseases are at all time highs. Duh!!

One NOT to Grow On

There aren’t many things I would claim to be one of the best at, but other than my mom, I’ve never met anyone that loved ice cream more than I do.

Unfortunately, I know that some of the cool, smooth, creamy treats that I love so much are made with milk from cows that have been injected with the bovine growth hormone known as rBGH.

And here’s what’s really annoying: Many of these products have labels that claim the contents are “all natural” – which is not exactly accurate, considering that rBGH is genetically modified.

According to a recent article by nutritionist John Robbins, just about every major brand of ice cream allows rBGH: Breyers, Haagen Dazs, Edy’s, Nestle, Good Humor, Popsicle, and Klondike Bars.

And John Robbins knows his ice cream. He’s the son of Irvine Robbins, the co-founder of Baskin-Robbins.

John and his family are no longer in the ice cream business, and John’s an outspoken advocate for healthy dietary choices, so he doesn’t mind letting the world know that Baskin-Robbins is also on the list of rBGH users.

But what he’s more concerned about are the serious widespread health repercussions caused by dairy products made with this Franken-hormone.

Ben, Meet Jerry

As I’ve mentioned before, rBGH contains high levels of natural growth factor (IGF-1), which your digestive system easily absorbs. And the problem here is that high levels of IGF-1 have been linked to colon, breast, and prostate cancers.

Not good. And every nation in the European Union agrees – they’ve all banned the use of rBGH. Japan, Australia, and Canada have joined the ban too.

In his article, Robbins notes that a 1998 Lancet study showed that pre-menopausal women with moderate IGF-1 blood levels may be as much as seven times more likely to develop breast cancer, compared to women with low levels.

IGF-1 is hard on cows too, increasing risk of mastitis, a bacterial infection of the udder. This condition is painful and increases antibiotic use. Then traces of antibiotics end up in the milk and help promote antibiotic resistance among humans.

It’s like one of those gymnasiums filled with dominos. You tip one domino (inject a herd with rBGH), and health repercussions head off in all directions.

But enough bad news. The good news is there is a better choice…and it’s a delicious one. When you buy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, you won’t get any rBGH on the side. Ben & Jerry’s purchases milk only from dairies that ensure no growth hormones are used.

If yogurt is more your dessert style (I don’t get it, but I respect it), Stonyfield, Dannon, and Yoplait also insist on rBGH-free milk for their products. In fact, Stonyfield executives led the industry with their 1993 decision to ban rBGH shortly after it was introduced.

Thanx AHN for submitting this. Ice cream isn’t my dairy must have, but cheese certainly is. After I read the article I examined all of the chunks of cheese in the refrigerator. Not a one says anything about rBHG…

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